Nestable base and cover assembly

ABSTRACT

A base and cover assembly including a first base, the first base comprising a first base peripheral wall defining a first base cavity, and a first base lip disposed along a perimeter of the first base peripheral wall; and a first cover separable from the first base, the first cover comprising a first cover peripheral wall defining a first cover cavity, the first cover cavity including a first cover cavity interior side and a first cover cavity exterior side, the first cover including a first cover lip disposed along a perimeter of the first cover peripheral wall.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is related to, and claims the priority benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/813,164, filed Apr. 17, 2013, the contents of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety into the present disclosure.

BACKGROUND

Sandboxes provide children with an opportunity to create imaginary roads, buildings, and the like on a small scale. They are usually sufficiently large and potentially messy to warrant being maintained outdoors. While this arrangement is satisfactory for homeowners and others who wish to exclude sand from inside homes and other buildings, it leads to problems with the sandbox itself. A sandbox is susceptible to rain, winds, airborne contaminants, and animals which might burrow or leave excretions in the absence of human or animal oversight. Therefore, sandboxes typically include covers.

However, due to their shape and size, most covers are displayed separately from the sandbox. This consumes valuable shelf space within a retail store. Moreover, shipping a sandbox with a cover requires a larger container, which increases the cost. Accordingly, a sandbox wherein the cover may be displayed and shipped within the sandbox would be appreciated in the marketplace.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a base and cover assembly, such as, for example, a sandbox with a cover, is disclosed. The base includes a base peripheral wall defining a base cavity. The base also includes a base lip disposed along the perimeter of the base cavity. In at least one embodiment, the base further includes one or more seating surfaces disposed thereon. The cover includes a cover peripheral wall defining a cover cavity. The cover also includes a cover lip disposed along the perimeter of the cover peripheral wall. In at least one embodiment, the under surface of the cover lip rests on the base lip to form a covered arrangement. In at least one embodiment, the cover may be inverted and then inserted into the base cavity, such that the upper surface of the cover lip is resting on the base lip to form a nested arrangement.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method of nesting base and cover assemblies is provided. The method includes the steps of placing a first assembly cover in an inverted state within a first assembly base, such that an upper surface of the cover lip rests on the base lip. In at least one embodiment, placing a first assembly cover in an inverted state within a first assembly base includes placing the cover cavity of the first assembly cover within the base cavity of the first assembly base. The method includes the step of placing a second base and cover assembly on top of the first base and cover assembly. In at least one embodiment, placing a second base and cover assembly on top of the first base and cover assembly includes placing the second base and cover assembly base exterior side inside the cover cavity of the first base and cover assembly.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a base and cover assembly is disclosed. At least one embodiment of such a base and cover assembly comprises a first base, the first base comprising a first base peripheral wall defining a first base cavity, and a first base lip disposed along a perimeter of the first base peripheral wall; a first cover separable from the first base, the first cover comprising a first cover peripheral wall defining a first cover cavity, the first cover cavity including a first cover cavity interior side and a first cover cavity exterior side, the first cover including a first cover lip disposed along a perimeter of the first cover peripheral wall, the first base and the first cover being assembled together such that the first cover peripheral wall is disposed within the first base cavity with the first base lip resting against the first cover lip on the first cover cavity exterior side; a second base, the second base comprising a second base peripheral wall defining a second base cavity, and a second base lip disposed along a perimeter of the second base peripheral wall; and a second cover separable from the second base, the second cover comprising a second cover peripheral wall defining a second cover cavity, the second cover cavity including a second cover cavity interior side and a second cover cavity exterior side, the second cover including a second cover lip disposed along a perimeter of the second cover peripheral wall, the second base and the second cover being assembled together such that the second cover peripheral wall is disposed within the second base cavity with the second base lip resting against the second cover lip on the second cover cavity exterior side, wherein the first base and the second base are in a nested arrangement. In an aspect of a sandbox assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a first base and a second base in a nested arrangement have a nesting factor of at least 50%. In an aspect of a base and cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the base and cover assembly comprises a third base, the third base comprising a third base peripheral wall defining a third base cavity, and a third base lip disposed along a perimeter of the third base peripheral wall; and a third cover separable from the third base, the third cover comprising a third cover peripheral wall defining a third cover cavity, the third cover cavity including a third cover cavity interior side and a third cover cavity exterior side, the third cover including a third cover lip disposed along a perimeter of the third cover peripheral wall, the third base and the third cover being assembled together such that the third cover peripheral wall is disposed within the third base cavity with the third base lip resting against the third cover lip on the third cover cavity exterior side, wherein the first base, the second base, and the third base are in a nested arrangement. In an aspect of a sandbox assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the third base has a nesting factor of at least 50% when added to the first base and the second base in a nested arrangement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments and other features, advantages and disclosures contained herein, and the manner of attaining them, will become apparent and the present disclosure will be better understood by reference to the following description of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of a nestable base and cover assembly according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1B shows a front elevation view of a nestable base and cover assembly according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1C shows a side elevation view of a nestable base and cover assembly according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1D shows a top view of a nestable base and cover assembly according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a nestable base and cover assembly according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart for a method of nesting a plurality of base and cover assemblies according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a plurality of base and cover assemblies according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure in a nested arrangement; and

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a plurality of base and cover assemblies according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure in a nested arrangement.

DESCRIPTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of this disclosure is thereby intended.

FIGS. 1A-D illustrate a base and cover assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, indicated generally at 10. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A-D, the base and cover assembly is in the form of a turtle-shaped sandbox. However, in other embodiments a base and cover assembly according to the present disclosure could be, for example, a swimming pool with a cover or a sandbox of a different shape with a cover.

A base and cover assembly 10 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure shown in FIGS. 1A-D includes a base 12. Base 12 includes a base peripheral wall 14 defining a base cavity (not shown) including a base cavity interior side for receiving sand or other materials, and a base cavity exterior side. It will be appreciated that the base 12 may be composed of any suitable material for receiving and retaining sand or other materials, such as molded plastic to name one non-limiting example. It will also be appreciated that the base peripheral wall 14, and the base cavity may be formed in any shape (e.g., circle, square, or octagon to name a few non-limiting examples). The base 12 also includes a base lip 16 disposed along the perimeter of the base cavity. In at least one embodiment, base 12 further comprises one or more seating surfaces 18 disposed around the base peripheral wall 16.

Base and cover assembly 10 further includes a cover 20 having a cover peripheral wall 22 defining a cover cavity 24 (not shown in FIGS. 1 A-D). Cover cavity 24 includes a cover cavity interior side 26 (not shown in FIGS. 1A-D) and a cover cavity exterior side 28. It will be appreciated that the cover 20 may be composed of any suitable material for protecting the contents within the base 12, such as molded plastic to name one non-limiting example. It will also be appreciated that the cover peripheral wall 22 and cover cavity 24 may be formed in any shape (e.g., circle, square, or octagon to name a few non-limiting examples). Cover 20 also includes a cover lip 30 disposed along the perimeter of the cover peripheral wall 22. In at least one embodiment, the under surface of the cover lip 30 rests on base lip 16 to form a covered arrangement.

FIG. 2 shows a base and cover assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, indicated generally at 10. Base and cover assembly 10 as shown in FIG. 2 includes the base 12 and the cover 20 arranged in a shipping/display arrangement. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, cover 20 is inverted and then inserted into the base cavity of base 12. In its inverted state, cover 20 fits within the base cavity of base 12, such that the upper surface of the cover lip 30 rests on the base lip 16.

FIG. 3 shows a method 100 for nesting a plurality of base and cover assemblies 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Method 100 includes the step shown in block 102 of providing a first base 12 and a first cover 20. In the step shown in block 104 of FIG. 3, the method includes placing first cover 20 in an inverted state within first base 12 such that an upper surface of the cover lip 30 of first cover 20 rests on the base lip 16 of first base 12. Method 100 includes the step shown in block 106 of providing a second base 12 and a second cover 20. The step shown in block 108 includes placing second cover 20 in an inverted state within second base 12 such that an upper surface of cover lip 30 of cover 20 rests on base lip 16 of second base 12. The step shown in block 110 includes placing second base 12 with second cover 20 placed in an inverted state therein on top of first base 12 with first cover 20 placed in an inverted state therein. In at least one embodiment, the second base 12 is placed on top of the first base 12 by placing an exterior side of the base cavity of second base 12 inside the cover cavity 24 of the first cover 20. It will be appreciated that more than two base and cover assemblies may be placed in a nested arrangement using the method described herein. Once in such a nested arrangement, a plurality of base and cover assemblies 10 may be efficiently packaged and shipped.

Shown in FIGS. 4-5 are a plurality of base and cover assemblies 10 in a nested arrangement using the method described herein. When placed in such a nested arrangement, base and cover assemblies 10 according to the present disclosure have a nesting factor of at least approximately 50%. In other words, placing a second base and cover assembly 10 on top of a first base and cover assembly 10 adds less than 50% of the height of the second base and cover assembly 10 to the overall height of the stacked base and cover assemblies 10. Likewise, placing a third base and cover assembly 10 on top of the second base and cover assembly 10 adds less than 50% of the height of the third base and cover assembly 10 to the overall height of the stacked base and cover assemblies 10. By comparison, stacked base and cover assemblies according to the prior art have a nesting factor of less than 30%.

While this disclosure has been described as having a preferred design, the embodiments according to the present disclosure can be further modified within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the disclosure using its general principles. For example, the methods disclosed herein and in the appended claims represent one possible sequence of performing the steps thereof. A practitioner may determine in a particular implementation that a plurality of steps of one or more of the disclosed methods may be combinable, or that a different sequence of steps may be employed to accomplish the same results. Each such implementation falls within the scope of the present disclosure as disclosed herein and in the appended claims. Furthermore, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this disclosure pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A base and cover assembly comprising: a first base, the first base comprising a first base peripheral wall defining a first base cavity, and a first base lip disposed along a perimeter of the first base peripheral wall; a first cover separable from the first base, the first cover comprising a first cover peripheral wall defining a first cover cavity, the first cover cavity including a first cover cavity interior side and a first cover cavity exterior side, the first cover including a first cover lip disposed along a perimeter of the first cover peripheral wall, the first base and the first cover being assembled together such that the first cover peripheral wall is disposed within the first base cavity with the first base lip resting against the first cover lip on the first cover cavity exterior side; a second base, the second base comprising a second base peripheral wall defining a second base cavity, and a second base lip disposed along a perimeter of the second base peripheral wall; and a second cover separable from the second base, the second cover comprising a second cover peripheral wall defining a second cover cavity, the second cover cavity including a second cover cavity interior side and a second cover cavity exterior side, the second cover including a second cover lip disposed along a perimeter of the second cover peripheral wall, the second base and the second cover being assembled together such that the second cover peripheral wall is disposed within the second base cavity with the second base lip resting against the second cover lip on the second cover cavity exterior side, wherein the first base and the second base are in a nested arrangement.
 2. The base and cover assembly of claim 1, wherein the first base further comprises at least one seating surface disposed around the first base peripheral wall.
 3. The base and cover assembly of claim 1, wherein the second base further comprises at least one seating surface disposed around the second base peripheral wall.
 4. The sandbox assembly of claim 1, wherein the first base and the second base in a nested arrangement have a nesting factor of at least 50%.
 5. The base and cover assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a third base, the third base comprising a third base peripheral wall defining a third base cavity, and a third base lip disposed along a perimeter of the third base peripheral wall; and a third cover separable from the third base, the third cover comprising a third cover peripheral wall defining a third cover cavity, the third cover cavity including a third cover cavity interior side and a third cover cavity exterior side, the third cover including a third cover lip disposed along a perimeter of the third cover peripheral wall, the third base and the third cover being assembled together such that the third cover peripheral wall is disposed within the third base cavity with the third base lip resting against the third cover lip on the third cover cavity exterior side, wherein the first base, the second base, and the third base are in a nested arrangement.
 6. The sandbox assembly of claim 5, wherein the third base has a nesting factor of at least 50% when added to the first base and the second base in a nested arrangement.
 7. The base and cover assembly of claim 5, wherein the third base further comprises at least one seating surface disposed around the third base peripheral wall. 